Guest Author

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Guest Author: Martha Austin

Welcome to a brand new year! I have to say, last week’s article was actually inspired by this one, written by Martha Austin of GreatnessInGovernment.com

010516-KimAndMarthaI’ve had the privilege of working with Martha for about a year and a half and I can honestly say I’ve never met a more giving person. Not only has she given to what inspires her in life (including traveling around the world with Global Dental Relief) but what she pours into her clients to spread greatness in the world is nothing short of remarkable.

As we’re entering a new year, many of us are creating new habits for ourselves. One habit that I adopted in Q4 of 2015 was a tithing practice. But instead of blindly donating 10% of my income, I’m purposefully giving to what inspires me. The idea is from “The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity” by Edwene Gains but it was really Martha who helped me incorporate this into my life.

Please don’t be thrown by Martha’s focus on government employees! I can guarantee that she’s offering something to everyone who is a mission-driven person but is getting stuck in the red tape of the workplace.

And be sure to check out the About Martha after the article for a special offer from Martha.

Spreading Greatness: Give to what Inspires You

In this season of thanksgiving, we’re bombarded with invitations to donate to this charity or that food bank based on the desperateness of some persistent need. It drives me absolutely crazy!

This is might sound rather cold to some of you, but here it is: I will not give to a “need.”

And here’s why: the need in this world is simply too vast. There will always be those who are sick, hungry, homeless, or destitute. When you give to a “need”, you’re giving out of a sense of obligation or guilt, putting your attention on the need, and actually creating more of it.

None of us want that!

Now before you think I am the epitome of Ebenezer Scrooge, let me say that I am a STRONG proponent of giving.

Are you giving to need or to inspiration? You want to give to what #inspires you! Click To Tweet
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Guest Post: Flex Your Creativity Muscle

Every so often, I want to bring you a fresh, new perspective – especially to jump-start your creativity. Please enjoy this guest post from Kaylee White from BrightColorsHappyThings.com

 

061615-CreativityMuscleAs someone who considers herself a pretty creative person, it was actually really difficult to start “flexing” my creativity muscle. I can’t imagine how overwhelming and difficult it must be to try to start being creative. One of the best exercises that I did when I first started was to find out what type of creativity I wanted to become involved in. There’s photography, drawing, sketching, painting, scrapbooking, and even journaling. I was fortunate enough to find a creative outlet that fit my organizational nature. I love to plan things and make lists about everything. I found the Planner Community by accident and have just started decorating my planner and making embellished lists that I can save for years to come.

Being creative is often associated with adolescence. It can be locked down upon by many who have forgotten the therapeutic effects being creative can have. Creativity is not considered a skill, not is it one of the prominent characteristics individuals think about when describing themselves.

As Nick Skillicorn states in his TEDx talk at TEDx Durham University, “Everyone is creative… There is this myth going around popular culture about left-brain people versus right-brain people… What inside surround functional brain-imaging and structural brain-imaging are showing us is that all of the brain is actually used when creative inspiration moments take place.”

Translation: There is no reason for you to believe that you aren’t creative. Creativity can help you cultivate a better life.
Keep Reading!

Guest Post: Unlocking Your Creativity

It’s a crazy week around here so I wanted to bring you some expert advice on creativity. Huge thanks to Michelle Hamelin of MichelleHamelin.ca for this article!

This was me, just the other day:

I am unclear as to what I want. It is like trying to get the fog off a bathroom mirror. The more desperate I am about wiping off the fog, the bigger mess I make. The reality is that the mirror will defog itself if I leave it in peace.

051915-4TipsCreativityHave you ever felt like that? You are trying to be creative and innovative and unique and you see what everyone else is doing. Then you try to force yourself to be even more creative and you end up spinning around in circles and possibly wrecking that which you have already created? I know a little bit about that feeling. It happens to me from time to time.

There are two types of creativity: artistic and conceptual. Artistic creativity is what you think it is: food, art, music, dance, theatre, jewellery, crafts, writing. The wonderful thing about it is that it doesn’t have to be relevant to anyone else. You can create for yourself. Conceptual creativity is solving problems, filling a need, and is usually goal-oriented. As a writer, you might fall into both categories. Maybe you are writing your story of growing up in an alcoholic household with the artistic aim of getting it out of yourself and the conceptual aim of helping someone who has gone through the same thing.

What do you do when you are stuck? The ideas aren’t flowing. You have misplaced your motivation. That unwanted guest called perfectionism has reared its ugly head. Here are some of my favorite ideas to get myself kick-started:

4 tips for #creativity from @MichelleHamelin Click To Tweet

Morning Pages: This is right out of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. In its easiest form, you grab some paper (whatever is handy: spiral bound notebook, refill paper, leather bound journal) and a pen and write out three full pages of long hand stream of consciousness. Do it first thing in the morning. It helps get the clutter out of your mind.

Keep Reading!

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Guest Post: Camden Hoch

This week, I’m attending Maribel Jimenez’s EXCELLENT event so I asked my dear friend and client, Camden Hoch, to share some yoga moves that are perfect for those of us who spend a ton of time at our desks. I don’t know about you, but after a day sitting at my computer, my shoulders are tight and my lower back aches.

Camden has fixes for both!


Video Timeline

0:00 Intro

0:38 Meet Ms. Jackson the Wisdom Kitty

1:07 Why you should do this: The 7th Inning Stretch

1:43 Breath work

3:07 Maintain breath-work for oxygen circulation for mental clarity

3:32 Yoga poses to open shoulders and release tension: moving shoulders

4:52 Yoga poses to open chest to loosen upper back: breath work and stretches

6:29 Yoga poses to continue to release and relax back: Cow & Cat

7:51 Feel the energy circulation, vibrance, and radiance

8:07 Camden’s suggestions to open your hips as you work

8:49 Yoga pose to open hips: Chair pose

9:44 Yoga pose to continue to open hips: chair pose with twist

10:14 Conclusion

10:48 Bonus tip!

11:10 Sign off from Ms. Jackson

At 8:07 Camden talks about a chair she recommends. Here are the links:
Gaiam.com
Amazon.com

#Yoga poses if you work at a desk all day! Click To Tweet

About Camden
Camden Hoch is the Founder of Radiance Enterprises and creator of the Radiant Life and Biz Coaching Program. She is recognized as one of today’s leading experts in teaching methods to embrace life daily with attention and intention to balance. Her teaching style encourages connection through honest and rich relationships uplifting global value and connection. She has mentored and empowered hundreds of clients in choosing to power up their lives and businesses from the inside out!

Find her at CamdenHoch.com

 

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Guest Post: Michelle Verdugo

I’m heading to Maria Andros‘ Momentum event this week so I asked a client and friend to bring you this week’s article.

5 Simple healthy foods to boost your brain power!

We’ve all been there at one time or another when we’re sucked in day after day sitting in front of our computer, time flies and we realize we missed breakfast, lunch and maybe even dinner, right?  We may have had several cups of coffee, a few sweets and salty treats – but haven’t actually haven’t had any meals or any REAL BRAIN FOOD offering any nutritional value.  Well, this scene MUST be deleted!

Try setting yourself up for success with these simple health foods and tips that WILL BOOST your BRAIN POWER.

HYDRATE

It’s simple, everyday plan to have fresh purified H2O at your computer side.  Aim for drinking a minimum of 64 ounces of water daily to start.  Once you’ve got that down, then bump it up to ½ your body weight in ounces every day!

TIP:  Use a 32 ounce mason jar and have two jars ready to go before you sit down at your computer.  Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice for a little pizzazz plus added health benefits!

FARM FRESH FOODS

Stock up and make it a habit to always have apples, bananas, eggs, celery & carrots on hand.

TIP:  Plan to hit your local farmers market and health food store each week with your staple shopping list so you’re always prepared – stocked with brain power foods!

EGGS

Have hard boiled eggs ready to go for a brain boost.  To sum it up, eggs are rich in nutrients and protein that are essential for your brain; full of vitamins and minerals [vitamin A, B, potassium, choline, omega 3 fats, & more] – all needed for healthy brain function.  You’ll want to be sure your eggs are farm fresh to get the most nutritional benefits and at least buy organic fed, free range or cage free!

TIP:  Enjoy a hard boiled egg alone or with carrot & celery sticks while clicking away at your computer – it will satisfy and you will notice the surge in brain power!

APPLES

The old saying, “An apple a day keeps the DR. away”…is a TRUTH!  Did you know that one apple has over 10,000 phytonutrients, is rich in fiber & vitamin C and offers amazing health benefits like building your immune system – prevention of disease, cardiovascular health (can lower your cholesterol), can regulate your blood sugar levels – all fueling to your brain power!

TIP:  Slice your apple and serve it with 2 tablespoons of Almond Butter and you will love dipping and crunching away – you’ll be amazed by the wave of ideas and flow that’ll come to you!

 

WALNUTS

120313-MVAlmondButter

One of my favorite brain foods because walnuts look like a brain, considered a

n “intellectual” food – I love that!  Walnuts not only taste great but they are a “superfood” – it’s easy to have 2 ounces of walnuts every day and boost  your brain with a surge of vitamin E, b-complex,

minerals – magnesium, copper, potassium, calcium, iron, omega 3 fatty acids; to name a few!

TIP:  By crunching a small serving every day, you will have your recommended amount of vitamins, minerals, and protein needed to keep your brain working at its best!

SUNSHINE

have a cup o’ sunshine!  Aim to fuel your brain with a sunny window or schedule a break in your day for a little fresh air and natural sunlight!  Natural light from the sun gives your body vitamin D – which is one more vitamin that we need for our best brain power.  It’s easy to overlook when you’re behind the computer screen day after day.

TIP:  move your computer in a room with natural sunlight and/or SCHEDULE [and TAKE] a daily 20 minute break to get out and breathe in the natural nutrients of fresh air and sunlight!
As you can see, these truly are Simple Healthy Foods to Boost your Brain while sitting at your computer!  By taking action and trying these foods and tips you will begin to see that you do not need to rely on that coffee and the old patterns of unhealthy snacks that don’t offer you any form of brain power.  Hopefully you see how simple it is to feed your body and your brain nourishing foods while you sit behind your screen creating your work!  These are simple foods that offer powerful benefits that will boost your brain, boost your body and boost your life to great health, lifestyle and success!

120313-MichelleVerdugoMichelle is a Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Healthy Lifestyle & Success Coach and focuses on offering solutions for holistic health and wellness.   Michelle has been helping clients with their health for over a decade by providing a holistic formula for healing, health and wellness for life.  Michelle is the creator of the 30 day Path to Higher Health Challenge at MichelleVerdugo.com “Inspiring and Empowering YOU to live your Healthiest Life” – for more juicy tips, recipes and inspirations click over to MichelleVerdugo.com or Holistic Healthy Lifestyle with Michelle Verdugo on Facebook.

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